A revolutionary, Ralph Nader, a Baptist minister, and two former congressmen from Georgia are all running for president in Rhode Island. Two of these five third-party candidates are more conservative than Republican John McCain, and the other three are more liberal than Democrat Barack Obama. Supporters of each gathered the 1000 signatures needed to win a ballot spot. These candidates hope that their presidential campaigns will publicize political views not often heard in the public debate.

Getting the word out can be difficult. With little money and few supporters, third-party candidates are barely visible, except on the Internet, where each has a detailed Web site.

Here’s a summary of the five parties.

Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party (baldwin08.com)
Baldwin, a Baptist minister in Florida, is a graduate of conservative televangelist Jerry Falwell’s Liberty Bible Institute in Virginia. His online campaign biography proudly notes that two former conservative presidential candidates, Patrick Buchanan and Alan Keyes, have spoken at his church.

Baldwin, who is on the ballot in 35 states, has also been endorsed by renegade Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul. The Constitution Party’s platform calls for phasing out Social Security, abolishing the Federal Reserve System and the Internal Revenue Service, and substituting private charity for government welfare programs. It also supports states’ rights and believes any state may with-draw from the union.

The party’s Rhode Island chairwoman, Newport piano teacher Monique LeMaire, says she was hooked four years ago by the party’s slogan of “Honor God, Defend the Family and Restore the Repub-lic.” Opposed to gambling, she would like to close Newport Grand and replace it with affordable housing. Although the US had to invade Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein, LeMaire says, she adds “Let’s get our troops back from Iraq. Let’s close our borders and have our troops protect our land. That’s logical.” The Constitution Party has about 20 members in Rhode Island, she says, and is not running any local candidates.

Bob Barr of the Libertarian Party (bobbarr2008.com)
As a four-term US representative, Barr challenged the Bush administration’s restrictions on personal freedoms, but he is best known as one of the House prosecutors who presented the Clinton impeach-ment case to the US Senate.

The Democrat-dominated Georgia legislature returned the favor and redrew Barr’s district for the 2002 election, and he then lost the Republican primary. The libertarians are on the ballot in 45 states and support abortion rights, gay marriage, repeal of the income tax, US withdrawal from NATO, eliminating Social Security, and ending prohibitions on recreational use of drugs. “The less government the better,” summaries Rhode Island Libertarian Party chairman David Bibeault of Smithfield, adding, “Competition in the free market is the solution to just about every problem we have.”

Brown Bagging If you are finding it hard to get enthused about the seemingly preordained drubbing that Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley will give to the GOP nominee, State Senator Scott Brown, in the special election for US Senate, you are not alone.

New and improved Romney Scott Brown's unexpected victory in last month's special US Senate election captured the attention of the country — and particularly of core Republican voters, who huddled eagerly before their TV screens to watch their hero du jour give his acceptance speech. But even in the midst of his moment in the sun, Brown made sure to thank the other handsome, well-coifed man on the stage, Mitt Romney.

Tea Party Progressives? When Democrat Peter Smulowitz celebrated his victory in the special-election primary for State Senate earlier this month in the back room of Masala Art restaurant in Needham, no bigwigs from his party were in attendance.

Elephant in the Room Platoons of state Republicans, energized by Scott Brown's stunning victory over Democrat Martha Coakley last week, are setting their sights on November.

Tormenting Teddy After 32 years in the US Senate, Ted Kennedy remains a force to be reckoned with, both for his legendary family history and his considerable accomplishments.

Rise of the political bogeyman The Republicans appear headed to a second straight national pummeling, which will leave it marginalized in the federal government and an increasing number of state houses. Many party faithful are already noting the need for the GOP to move back toward the moderate center to survive. But the conservatives with microphones are heading down a very different path — and their followers, who now dominate the Republican Party, are going right with them.

Eyes on the prize We interrupt the Lincoln Chafee buzz fest to bring you this little nugget of news: there are a few Democrats who'd like to be governor, too.

AN OBAMA CONFIDANT ON THE SURGE IN AFGHANISTAN | December 02, 2009 Twenty-four hours before President Barack Obama announced a 30,000-troop escalation of the Afghan War, one of his key foreign policy advisors provided a view of the president’s thinking at Brown University.

DEBATING THE MIDDLE EAST MUDDLE | June 17, 2009 US military aid to Pakistan and Afghanistan is being wasted and should be redirected to the police and moderate non-violent groups working for education and the rule of law, according to two Middle East experts who spoke Sunday at the Community Church of Providence.

BATTLE OVER OPEN SPACE IN NORTH PROVIDENCE | May 27, 2009 Will the last large piece of open space in North Providence turn into the site of 47 single family homes? That decision currently rests with the Rhode Island General Assembly and the Rhode Island Supreme Court. The outcome could jeopardize open space preservation statewide.

YOU SNUS YOU LOSE | May 13, 2009 Unbowed by last month's $1 a pack increase in the cigarette tax, the tobacco industry is pushing new unhealthy products to gain more Rhode Island customers.